‘Citizen centric judicial modernisation is beacon of hope’
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Judiciary of Tanzania has highlighted that the citizen centric judicial modernisation and justice service delivery project in the country has emerged as a beacon of hope, transforming the landscape of access to justice and public trust in the court systems.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary of Tanzania, Eva Nkya highlighted the pivotal role of this project in enhancing citizen-centric justice services and fostering greater engagement among stakeholders involved in court proceedings.
Speaking at the Temeke One-Stop Centre, Integrated Justice Centre (IJC) in Dar es Salaam, as a continuation of the Citizen Centric Judicial Modernisation and Justice Service Delivery Project Implementation Support Mission from July 16th to 27th this year, Nkya underscored the significant strides made through the modernisation efforts, including the construction of numerous courts countrywide, equipped with updated technology for streamlined record-keeping and the introduction of e-justice services.
“Many courts have been built across the country in conjunction with the modernisation of record-keeping and the use of technology to introduce e-justice services. This has tremendously streamlined court proceedings and enhanced public trust in the legal system,” she said.
Literally, the objective of the citizen-centric judicial modernisation and justice service delivery project for Tanzania is to improve the efficiency and transparency of, and access to, selected citizen-centric justice services.
Furthermore, Ms Nkya emphasised the importance of ongoing dialogue and collaboration in the mission to ensure the successful conclusion of this transformative initiative, as the project nears its culmination, with a scheduled completion date of June 30th next year.
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In line with that, she made a plea to the populace to maintain their faith in the court system, noting that it is always enhancing its offerings to ensure that every Tanzanian receives justice in an impartial and timely manner.
The World Bank Group delegation, currently on a visit to assess the project’s implementation, lauded the notable progress achieved over the past eight years, commending the effective partnership between the judiciary and the government.
World Bank’s Senior Governance Specialist, Benjamin Mtesigwa, reaffirmed the positive trajectory of the project and expressed optimism for an impactful conclusion as discussions on the final year’s strategies unfold.
“We commend the court and the government for the successful implementation of this project and we have no doubts about its progress based on the documents we have,” he stressed.
Head of the Delivery Unit (JDU) and Judge of the High Court of Tanzania, Dr Angelo Rumisha, emphasised the project’s multifaceted approach towards enhancing service delivery, transparency, accountability, system engagement and access to justice.
With a focus on constructing nine Integrated Justice Centres (IJCs) across various regions and expanding high court services nationwide by June 2025, Dr Rumisha highlighted the tangible progress in ensuring widespread access to justice.
“The comprehensive efforts encompass the construction of 60 primary courts, slated for completion by January 30 next year, marking a significant milestone in the third and final phase of the project aimed at bolstering access to justice and public trust,” he noted.
According to him, in this third phase, the component aims to address the challenges by expanding the current avenues for accessing justice and building citizen trust by promoting innovations that bring justice services closer to the people.
“Since access to justice and justice reform are long-term processes, this component also seeks to facilitate the development of complementary programme in collaboration with other development partners.”
